The cold night wind breezes through Twilight's mane, as she sat outside the porch of her room, pondering about the events that has transpired around Ponyville for the past 2 years. It was really odd, really, 2 years ago, she was but a student of the Solar princess herself, and after 2 years of successfully defeating Equestria's tyrannical villains -- most of which are gods and leaders of a far away kingdom -- she, herself, has claim the title of Princess of Friendship.
She gazed down below the sleepy town of Ponyville, the town that has faced oh so many odd things ever since she got here. The Ursa Minor incident and Tirek's rampage across the country has ruined the town time and time again, yet the town and the ponies that resides there never falter, for they know, that hope is always lurking around the corner, always watching them and protecting them from outsiders.
She drank her tea as she continued to gaze down the peaceful town, and pondering new ideas for her next friendship lesson for her student, Starlight Glimmer. An idea sparked in Twilight's brilliant mind; She would send Starlight to the Crystal Empire, to accompany Sunburst. There they could have some quality time together, while she'll be doing more... paperwork.
As she lay down her tea, she levitated a random book from the shelve and opened it.
-There and Back Again-
A Hobbits Tale
Twilight eyed the sentence with curiosity, she didn't remember buying this book from the library. "Well, it's a book so..." She flipped opened the next page and read the following passage:
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole and that means comfort.
It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel; a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs, and lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats - the hobbit was fond of visitors.
Twilight then smiled at the first paragraph of the book, whoever wrote this book certainly has a unique writing style that she strangely enjoyed. She continued slimming through the pages every 2 seconds, reading every paragraph and every dialogue this book has to offer.
An unknown entity stares down at the Friendship Castle, analysing every little detail the castle has to offer. When the power of the ring showed him even greater power beyond the boundaries of Middle Earth, and the riches this world holds, he didn't hesitate for one second and make fourth another army to invade this world of green.
For 2 years, he has orchestrated numerous attacks on varies towns and corrupting the kingdoms from within. His first target was the Griffons of the north, whom he has been eyeing with interest for some time now. They show certain aspects that can me mistaken as for an Orc or an Uruk-Hai, but don't let their personality seal the deal, oh no. The Northern Kingdoms of Griphonia, were an ideal start for recruitment, as they share no love or interest for the Ponies of Equestria down south.
Now the Northern Kingdoms are gearing up for war, for finally they have a fighting chance against a foe that was far more superior than them in most ways. Sometimes, he envied these Griffons, they get to enjoy life and die peacefully if they will, while he and a handful of races back on Middle Earth have to share the burden of Immortality. It was a rare occasion, before he continued on planning his next move back in Middle Earth.
A Griffon cloaked in black robes slowly crept to the tower, holding an elven dagger he had acquired from the foundries back in Ukrueridge -- the greatest city in all of Griphonia. The Griffon had been trying to locate his target -- Twilight Sparkle -- since the Dark Lord gave him this task, several moons ago.
As he opened the large castle doors slowly, a dark grin formed in his beak. Tonight, the fourth Princess of Equestria will die, and the armies of Griphonia shall march forward against Equestria and her allies. When he first entered the castle, he looked around him and see countless doors the eye could see. He sighed contently and open each door slowly, not wanting to wake or get anyponies attention.
It took him a good half an hour before he managed to find the Royal Bedroom of Twilight Sparkle, whom is sleeping on the bed peacefully, not caring anything about the world around her. She had a book on her face that covers her purple muzzle and elongated eyelashes -- one, that even a Griffon can admire. He lingers in the darkness, slowly creeping up to Twilight's sleeping form. He searched through his right pocket and pulled up a silver ring with Elvish writings carved into it.
Slowly, he let the ring fall on Twilight's ring and smiled wickedly. He slowly put his dagger on Twilight's throat and whispers into her ear. "Wake up Princess, don't let your duties and your subjects falter"
After reading the book for an hour and finishing it, she passed out on her bed and sleeps peacefully, while snoring adorably. She slept for a good 4 hours before waking up from a whisper into her ear.
She jolted forward and felt something sharp on her throat. She looked down and her eyes widened like saucers; There was a dagger pointed at her. She turned to her left to the source of the dagger and gulped loudly when a Griffon was holding it. She panicked and tried to cast a levitation spell to try pushing the attacker to the wall, but when she did try, she felt something heavy on her horn.
Realisation hit her like a wagon; There was a magic inhibitor on her horn -- Is this leading to where she think it is?
Just before Twilight can utter a single word, the Griffon punched her, knocking her out cold.
The Griffon dragged the unconscious pony to the porch and push her down to the floor, waking her. She crept opened her eyes, and gazed up at the ponies hooded face. The Griffon's eyes were unlike she'd seen before; It had a fiery red colour and it was staring at her menacingly.
"Sit down, and I shall spare you" He commanded, which Twilight responded with a nod. She gets to her knee's, as tears were forming up in her eyes.
She looked up at him and whispered softly at him. "Please don't hurt them" The Griffon in returned laughed darkly and walked around in circles around her.
"My Master only want's you dead, your friends and allies will suffer a fate far more worst than the banishment of Nightmare moon herself, and the world shall bow down to our Dark Lord; Sauron" He pulls out an elegant looking sword, covered in -- what Twilight can tell -- Sindarian carvings on it, and various other carvings.
As he walked around Twilight, he whispered words, word's that will haunt Twilight for the rest of her life -- if she even had the time. His sword was long enough to reach the floor, clashing it as he continued to circle her. He lift his sword and place it on Twilight's throat.
"Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gibatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi kripatul." He slowly slit through Twilight's throat, causing her to gurgle blood before her lifeless corpse falls to the ground.
The Griffon smiled wickedly and cut Twilight's horn and peck a few feathers from her and put it on his pockets. "Not even the Princess of Harmony can stop the Black Hand of Sauron." And with that, he laughed wickedly and flew off to Urkrueridge to inform the counsel about his mission.
Some ponies say when you die, you just live the rest of your afterlife in the hall of Solus -- Where all ponies alike come to stay until the sun stops rising over the horizon. But this is not the case for Twilight Sparkle. She woke up in an empty black void, devoid of life or light whatsoever.
She looked around her, hoping to find the Hall of Solus, that has been mentioned in every ancient and modern Equestrian History, but frowned to see nothing but the void. Her eyes teared up, as she continued to look around her. Is this the end? Have I truly died?
Her thoughts were quickly stopped however, when a loud voice, echo'd within Twilight's mind "No you haven't" She panicked and looked around her to see an orb of light, slowly approaching her. The Orb stood there for a second and inspected Twilight. As the Orb stood there, a harmonic tune started playing at the background, filling Twilight's mind with a sense of peace and harmony.
As the song progresses, the song goes to a more upbeat tune -- a sense of Kinship and Fellowship. Twilight began to tear up, she thought about those who she cared about; Princess Celestia, Luna, Her friends, parents, and especially Spike, oh what would he do without her now?
"Is this the end?" She thought to herself, to which the Orb responded -- much to Twilight's surprise; "No, you're just simply banished from death" She turned around and faced the Orb, still flabbergasted that an Orb actually responded her question.
"Who are you?" As Twilight asked the question, the Orb began to take form of a tall bipedal being, with skin as pale as the whitest snow, and hair that resembles the Autumn leaves.
"I am a wraith, a spirit who happens to share the same fate as you" Twilight eyed him curiously and circled around him. "For now, Twilight Sparkle, you are banished from death"
Twilight grinned widely and jumped with glee, but the Spirit stood there stoically, not joining her little celebration. "But you are bound to the... Northern Kingdoms of Griphonia, until you've find the mortal that killed you."
Twilight's ear dropped down in sadness, and she frowned with sorrow in her expression; "But unlike the other mortal's that were banished from death, your soul happened to be a strong one, a soul that belongs to an immortal."
"And?" Twilight asked, to which the Wraith responded; "If you happened to kill the mortal that killed you, you will be resurrected, and I'll be free from your body"
Twilight stood there, flat faced, when she heard the last sentence the Wraith uttered. "Y-You're in my body?" The Wraith nodded and coughed abruptly
"I'll albeit, the deepest corners of your mind is... interesting" Twilight's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "Something with a pony called, S-"
Twilight had enough of it. "Stop!" The Wraith nodded and exited her mind. Once he done so, Twilight sighed. "Apologies, I just don't like somepony going through my head oh so suddenly"
The Wraith nodded, and the black void around them slowly fades away. "It is the burden of a Wraith, for once we're stuck with another mortal whose soul is unhappy with death, we will also share the memories and thoughts with the soul, thus I cannot stop myself from checking through the deepest corners of your mind"
The void around them started to take shape of a silver tower on top of the Suliaous Mountain range, on top of a city. The Wraith pointed at the tower. "Those towers are forged and built in Mordor, I do not know how those thing's came to be here, but we best get to it" Twilight nodded and trotted her way to the tower.
As she walked towards the tower, she noticed a gang of Griffons hanging around the fire, talking idly.
"I heard that Sauron's planning to send another batch of Enchanted Elven weapons forged in the fires of Mordor"
"Is that so? Huh, well then, guess Equestria's going to fall faster than expected -- Maybe we should send a batch of those unicorns to Mordor to enchant more weapons"
"You have to tell that to the Centurion first, but that sounds like a pretty good idea" Twilight hid under one of the fallen tree's beside them, and eavesdrop the entire conversation.
After hearing the conversation, Twilight's eye's began to tear up again, causing her to crawl deeper under the tree. "Rarity and Starlight will be in trouble..." The Wraith appeared right beside her and patted her on the back.
"We shall mourn our future losses later, for now, focus on the task at hand" Twilight wiped away the tears in her eyes, and nodded in response. The Wraith smiled, and pointed at them. "Take them out using stealth, don't let them get away"
"B-But how?" The Wraith pointed at the Elven dagger right beside her. "K-Kill them, but why?"
"Your magical energy is still too weak to knock them out -- an addition to that, is that you'll just knock them out, not kill them. So it's a good idea to kill them, before they propose their idea to the Centurion.
The Wraith starred at her, in which Twilight retorted; "But they're living beings! What do I tell to they're families-"
"Sometimes, you need to make sacrifices to save those you love" Twilight looked around her in panic and sighed sadly. "It has to come to this doesn't it?" The Wraith nodded and disappeared from sight. Twilight grabbed the Elvish dagger beside her and slowly approached the unsuspecting pair of Griffons.
"Have you seen those pictures of that one princess -- what was her name again?"
"Is she purple, and has a purple star as her cutie mark?"
"Yeah that's the one -- Her flank is so hot, I would totally go for it" Twilight's right eye twitched, and she slowly approached the right Griffon who just said that her flank is hot.
She lifted the dagger on top of his head and thrusted it downward, causing the Griffon's skull to crack -- killing him instantly. His friend however, pull out his Orcish sword and encircled Twilight. "Well, well, well. Look's like i'm getting some ass tonight" With that said, he thrusted his sword forward, and clashed against Twilight's dagger.
Slowly, she levitated the dead Griffon's sword and clashed it against her attacker's weapon. The Griffon smiled menacingly and pushed her aside, causing her to trip on the dead Griffon's body.
"Time to end Friendship, once and for all" He positioned his sword on top of Twilight's neck, and chuckled darkly. "I'll be eating some good meat tonight" He put down his sword and knocked Twilight unconscious. He slowly grabbed the rope beside her, and tied her up. With that done, he slowly dragged Twilight's body to his camp.
Twilight woke up with a hard punch towards her stomach, causing her to gag out some blood. She slowly looked at her attacker. That very same Griffon that tried to kill her yesterday.
He smiled menacingly and pulled out his sword. "Since I already eat some meat today, I guess I'm going to have to kill, you -- then I'll surely be promoted.
He slowly approached her, and pull back his sword to the back of his neck. This is the end isn't it? She's going to die, and this Griffon is going to be promoted to Celestia know's what. As if all hope was lost, she suddenly had an idea at the back of her head and smiled.
She laughed, and the Griffon stopped dead at his tracks; "What the hell are you doing? are you mad?" Twilight stopped laughing, and her horn glowed brightly, and beside her was an image of the Wraith, pulling back his bow.
The Griffon laughed at his slave's actions. "You think this is going to scare me-" The Wraith fired his arrow at the Griffon's head, his body falling down to the cliff that so happen's to be, right behind him. The Wraith shuddered and kneeled down to cut Twilight's restraint.
He cleaned his dagger and put it back to his holsters. "Remember, you can summon me at any time, all you need to do, is cast the spell" And with that the Wraith disappeared from view... again.
When the Wraith disappeared, she can feel an aching pain coming from her flank, as if claws dug deep into her flank. She looked at her flank and see's claw marks all over it. Her eye's twitched and she laugh's madly. The Wraith appeared again right beside her and give her a worried look.
"Twilight Sparkle, are you alright?" Twilight ignored him, still laughing like a maniac. Her laughter slowly calmed down and she gave him a cold hard glare.
"Right, I remember now -- no wonder why I felt an aching feel on my butt when you woke up." Twilight nodded, and continued her journey to the tower.
It took her 30 minutes of continuous climbing and flying, but alas, they've reached their destination in the end; The Silver Tower of Suliaous. At first glance, the tower seemed like another ruin on top of the mountain, but as she comes closer to it, the tower glowed silver and she now could climb it!
She attempted to fly, but her wing's still hurt, as if an arrow struck her on her wings. So she climbed, and boy did it took her a while. When she did reached the top, she was surprised to see an anvil standing at the centre of the tower. She slowly approached it and the Wraith hammered the anvil, causing great aurora's to be seen on top of the Tower, before fading away.
She eyed at the glittery dark sky and smiled contently. "Even after all of this, the stars never falter." The Wraith looked down sadly, before walking up behind her. He sat down and patted her at the back.
"I'm sorry, you had to kill them" He said assuringly, though he can tell it wasn't enough to comfort her.
"I killed them, I killed those Griffons" The Wraith looked up at the stars and patted her. "Don't think about your opponents and their families once you've killed them, only focus at the task at hand." Twilight looked up at him sadly.
"How do you do it?" She asked, the Wraith looked down at her and sighed. "You'll get used to it." And with that, Twilight's vision slowly fade's away into slumber.
The harsh winds of the Northern lands are deadly to those who can't stand the cold. While it is true that the first migration of the Griffons were harsh and full of hardship, nonetheless they were blessed with lands as green as the Everfree leaves. There on the final stairsteps of Ukrueridge, a Griffon cloaked in a black hood journeyed through the intense fog that covers the valley and the stairs.
After assassinating the Princess of Friendship, he was not filled with pride or grief, but he had a desire to slaughter those who she love, yet he cannot do so, as his mission was to kill the Princess only and leave her dead body for her friends to mourn for their lost friend. He chuckled darkly at this thought, but that was not to be, for the next step of this stair, lies the ancient and majestic city of Ukrueridge, the crown jewel of the Griphonia Kingdoms.
Once a village in the great migration, now a bustling city filled with life and excitement. The street's itself is filled with Griffon children chasing one another happily, while the rest enjoy their times idling about near the Tree of Light -- the tree that lights up the dark skies and clears away any danger from their hated neighbours the Equestrians. Long have they pushed further into their lands, causing several major cases of famine all across the border towns, and unrest in the major cities, yet the city of Ukrueridge was always the centre of peace and enlightenment, where all the problems of the world fades away, and one could enjoy themselves a belly full of mead.
Boromîr walked down idly across the crowded street's of Ukrueridge, and treaded with caution, for he was a wanted Griffon for his actions. The local guardsmen no naught of his true intent or his allegiance to the Dark Lord himself, so they attacked him whenever they see him, but always fail they will. He eyed the peaceful Griffons selling and trading their goods to other Griffons, and their closest allies -- the Minotaurs -- walking slowly among the crowds, trying not to squish the smaller beings before them.
Ukrueridge was the centre of knowledge all across the known civilizations. So great were they're libraries, that the Canterlot libraries pale in comparison to the Hall of Knowledge, located deep within the city centre. The city was also well known for it's impenetrable walls, for in the Second Age of the World, the dark forces of Sombra tried to overtake the city, but his army failed to do so, for the Tree of Light protects the city with a barrier unknown to Celestia herself.
Boromîr took comfort that the ponies that would be hunting him down won't be able to get near him anytime soon. He climbed the stairs of Ukrueridge once more, and his journey is filled with silence. As he reached the top of the mountain, a beautiful marble building stood proudly on one of the many steppes of the mountains.
He walked his way through the vast halls, and as he entered the next room, a golden statue of a representation of the Dark Lord himself, stood proudly, and the gold shine's off to the most distant of lands. Thus the Beacon of Manwë was born. Boromîr kneeled down before the statue and recited an ancient Mordor text. His vision goes to black, and the Dark Lord himself stood right on front of him.
The Griffon bowed down before his master, causing his Master to groan. And as he stood up, the Dark Lord spoke; "What news have you come upon thee?" The Griffon looked up at him and pulled out the feathers and the horn of Twilight Sparkle. The creature chuckled darkly and picked up the items below him.
"You have done well my humble servant, I'm sure ye would be good in thy next assignment yes?" Boromîr nodded as he continued to sharpen his claws. He gave his master a dark grin, and his Master understood what he meant. The Dark Lord walked around the vast empty halls of the Pantheon, and when they went outside, the Dark Lord chuckled menacingly.
"The ring has yet to come to me, and when it does, all of Middle Earth and Arda will fall under my dark hands" Boromîr nodded again and bowed slightly at him. "I shall go now my master, for I have pending meetings to attend to." And with that, Boromîr climbed down the thousand steps once more, and departed for the next city; Cazorath, the Capital of the Griffon Kingdoms.
While Cazorath is much smaller than Ukrueridge, it is the first known city ever established in history -- other than Canterlot of course. Thousands of Griffons flocked to this ancient city, that the reservations for each hotel was always full, and the fine restaurants packed with customers alike. Though when Sombra's army came to destroy the capital, it did so and leave very few buildings standing. To this day, the ancient ruins of old Cazorath can be seen on the outskirts of the city.
And this is where Boromîr and the Griffon counsel shall sign the declaration of war against Equestria.
